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This comprehensive review delves into Electroencephalogram (EEG) applications for assessing human experiences in thermal environments, focusing on thermal perception, cognition, and emotions. Our analysis categorizes EEG studies into statistical investigations and discrimination models. Statistical studies, encompassing various frequency bands and indices, yield inconclusive outcomes due to diverse findings. Discrimination models employ a diverse range of EEG features tailored to specific experimental conditions. The lack of a consistent knowledge foundation on EEG's spectral and topographical properties to distinct aspects of human thermal experience, along with the absence of a universally recognized thermal perception index and variations in defining cognition and emotion indices, contributes to this diversity. Through a thorough examination of methodological aspects, including experimental and data analysis approaches, our review exposes significant gaps and limitations in current thermal experience research. The paper proposes key recommendations to advance the field, emphasizing the importance of a comprehensive environmental portrayal, standardized perceptual descriptors, multidomain studies, and dynamic thermal research. Advocating for investigations into individual thermal variable influences, within-subject experiments, and addressing cognitive interferences, the review also highlights the need for improved data granularity, standardized EEG protocols, and a broader exploration of EEG analysis methods. Addressing these aspects is vital for establishing a more consistent knowledge base, enhancing research reliability, and improving result communication. Our findings contribute to a deeper understanding of human thermal experience, providing recommendations to bridge identified gaps and limitations, fostering a more robust foundation for future research in this domain. • Systematic review of EEG uses for human thermal perception, cognition, and emotion. • Addressing inconclusiveness in the literature findings. • Critical assessment of methods: environmental, experimental, and data analysis. • Providing key recommendations to advance the field and research reliability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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This prospective study evaluated the safety and effectiveness of percutaneous sclerotherapy in the treatment of secondary Budd-Chiari syndrome due to hepatic venous malformations (HVMs). Four patients (mean age, 40 years; 3 women) with 5 HVMs underwent 7 sessions of percutaneous sclerotherapy with a mixture of bleomycin and lipiodol. All patients had chronic Budd-Chiari syndrome, determined based on imaging findings, with the main symptom being abdominal discomfort and distention. On physical examination, 2 patients had ascites and the other 2 had an epigastric mass. The indication for treatment was intractable abdominal symptoms due to hepatic and/or inferior vena cava (IVC) outflow compression. All procedures were technically successful, with no major complications. Three patients underwent a second session because of incomplete IVC decompression. The patients' symptoms completely resolved at 6 and 12 months of follow-up. There was a significant reduction in lesion volume (P = .007) and an increase in IVC luminal area (P = .018) at 12 months of follow-up. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Assessment of reflective systems in steady-state and climatic conditions. • Calculated R-values by ISO 15099 are in good agreement with ASHRAE. • Systems with airspace thickness of 20 mm are the optimized configurations. • The R-value increases on the coldest day. • South facing systems thermally perform the best on the hottest day. Reflective insulation systems are among the most effective energy efficient products for application in arid climates. Previous studies focused on reflective air spaces (rather than reflective insulation systems) in laboratory steady-state conditions, and different defects and limitations in those investigations have made it necessary to probe for patterns to address the research key questions and generalization of the results. Thus, in this study a numerical simulation approach using ISO 15099 is utilized for performing calculations in enclosed reflective air spaces. Additionally, application of ISO 15099 is compared with ASHRAE experimental data, and related differences and limitations are demonstrated. The optimized configurations of the reflective insulation systems in wall application are explored, and an unprecedented extensive climatic evaluation is conducted. Moreover, the influences of extreme climatic conditions and orientation factor on thermal performance of various reflective configurations are assessed. It is found that systems with a 20 mm air gap adjacent to reflective surfaces are the most appropriate systems in the wall application. In addition, thermal performance of these systems is highly affected by environmental conditions. Finally, the optimized orientations in each configuration are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pelizaeus-Merzbacher-Like Disease 1 is a genetic disorder affecting the central nervous system with an autosomal recessive inheritance pattern. It is a rare genetic disorder that affects the central nervous system. In this report, we demonstrated the clinical and paraclinical features of an Iranian consanguine pedigree with suspected hypomyelinating leukodystrophy, without any defined diagnosis. The proband, a 15-month-old girl, visited the Razi pathobiology and medical genetic laboratory of Karaj, where the study was conducted in 2020. Following whole-exome sequencing analysis of the proband and segregation analysis, a novel pathogenic mutation was discovered. GJC2 (NM_020435.4):c.1096dupG was found to be homozygous in the proband and heterozygous in both parents. This mutation was in the coding region of the protein, which results in D366Gfs*126 (p.Asp366GlyfsTer126). The site of mutation was at the 3' region of the connexin superfamily domain. The frameshift results in a different peptide sequence of the C-terminal and extended protein. Our findings led to the diagnosis of the proband's disease as Pelizaeus-Merzbacher-Like Disease 1 and led to the end of the diagnostic odyssey. We provided effective genetic counseling through the identification of a novel pathogenic mutation in gap junction protein C2 in this family and suggested preimplantation genetic diagnosis for the next pregnancy. Furthermore, our findings confirmed the association of GJC2 mutations with PMLD1. This discovery added to the repertoire of genetic mutations of Pelizaeus-Merzbacher-Like Disease 1. This knowledge could be applied for expanded carrier screening of other families, especially for Iranian consanguine marriages., (Copyright: © Iranian Journal of Medical Sciences.)

Semen analysis is usually the first step in the assessment of male fertility. Although analyzes provide valuable information about male fertility, success of cytoplasmic sperm injection using this method is not predictable. In the recent years, studies have shown that sperm quality assessment helps clinicians predict male fertility status based on the expression of biomarkers. To write this article, a comprehensive study was conducted on several RNA transcripts by searching related words on medical information databases by 2018. According to the literature, spermatogenesis based disorders in male infertility have a significant relationship with the expression level of some RNA molecules (like DAZ and PRM1/PRM2 ratio ) in semen and testicular tissue. Thus, they might be used as predictor biomarkersto evaluate success rate of testicular sperm extraction (TESE) procedure, but confirmation of this hypothesis requires more extensive research. By comparing the number of RNAs attributed to each fertility disorder in men, it is possible to trace the causes of disease or return fertility to some infertile patients by regulating the mentioned molecules. Further researches can provide a better understanding of the use of RNA expression profiles in the diagnosis and treatment of male infertility., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflicts of interest., (Copyright© by Royan Institute. All rights reserved.)